Entry Criteria
We host these awards to help unearth the stories of the incredible women (and men) in our industry. And by entering, you are helping to celebrate our people and show others the good things happening in mining in NSW.
Awards will be given in six categories:
1. Exceptional Woman
2. Exceptional Young Woman
3. Exceptional Tradeswoman/Operator/Technician
4. Exceptional Woman Technological Innovation
5. Inclusion & Diversity Champion
6. Excellence in Diversity Programs & Performance
Awards are open to both members and non-members of NSW Minerals Council.
Prepare your Entry
Sometimes it is challenging to know the best way to articulate your achievements when entering an awards program. It’s not uncommon for us to receive a submission that doesn’t quite capture the extent of a nominee’s impact or overall contribution.
That’s why we are very lucky to have NSW Women in Mining Awards judges and senior mining industry figures Fiona Robertson and Stefanie Loader to help us unpack the key things you need to think about when preparing your entry in the NSW Women in Mining Awards.
2024 Highlights
Check out these highlights from last year’s event!
We would like to thank our event sponsors for their continued support.
Gold | Naming Rights
BHP Mt Arthur Coal is proud to support the NSW Women in Mining Awards in 2024. BHP is a long-time advocate of inclusive and diverse teams, and knows the value they can bring to safety, culture and productivity. In 2016 BHP announced an aspirational goal of gender balance by 2025. And thanks to initiatives such as this one as well as the dedicated leadership of our business, we are almost half-way to that goal and other operators are also following suit.
Our strategy is to focus on attracting and retaining a workforce that is truly representative of society.
Silver Sponsors
For 20 years, Yancoal Australia has been contributing to the Australian coal industry, communities where we operate and broader society. With over 4,500 people working across our operations in NSW, Queensland and Western Australia, Yancoal’s story goes beyond the product we mine. It is about the positive impact we have on people’s lives, as we continue to deliver lasting benefits for all of our stakeholders.
Mine Super is an industry super fund owned for the exclusive benefit of members. We are a public offer fund open to all Australians, with a strong history of helping deliver exceptional retirement outcomes to our members for over 80 years.
We’re dedicated to ensuring that each and every member is well looked after, with local representatives providing boots on the ground in mining communities across Australia.
Mine Super offers its members access to super, pension, insurance and financial advice.
In operation for over 25 years, Bengalla Mining Company is located 15km west of Muswellbrook in the Upper Hunter. We aim to be a world class operation and a valued supplier, employer and community partner. Our mission is to produce safe, productive and profitable coal with strong community/environmental performance and market presence. Our contribution to the local community extends beyond the immediate economic benefits of our business. Bengalla supports a wide range of projects and partnerships to build stronger and more sustainable communities. Most importantly we invest in the local communities surrounding our operation.
Newmont (ASX: NEM) is the world’s leading gold company, a producer of copper, zinc, lead and silver and Australia’s only molybdenum producer. The company’s world-class portfolio of assets, prospects and talent is anchored in favorable mining jurisdictions in Australia, Africa, Latin America, North America and Papua New Guinea. Newmont is the only gold producer listed in the S&P 500 Index and is widely recognized for its principled environmental, social and governance practices. The company is an industry leader in value creation, supported by robust safety standards, superior execution and technical expertise.
Bronze Sponsors
Our operations are in the Illawarra and Macarthur regions of the southern coalfields of New South Wales, about 75 kilometres south of Sydney. At Illawarra Metallurgical Coal, our purpose is to mine premium quality coking coal for steelmaking. Our unique blend of coal is world renowned and we pride ourselves on strong relationships with our domestic and international customer base.
We operate two underground metallurgical coal mines, Appin and Dendrobium mines, alongside West Cliff and Dendrobium coal preparation plants. We also manage the Port Kembla Coal Terminal (PKCT) on behalf of a consortium of regional partners.
Thiess partners with its clients to deliver excellence in open cut and underground mining in Australia, Asia and the Americas. For almost 90 years, Thiess has operated in diverse commodities, geologies, environments and cultures. The team uses that global insight to optimise solutions and create value for each project, positioning them for optimal efficiency, productivity and cost performance, backed by how they meet their commitments. Thiess is committed to being at the forefront of sustainable mining, leveraging the power of its people and technology to drive sustainable change.
Established in 2011, Evolution Mining has grown into a globally relevant gold producer that prospers through the cycle, with a reputation for delivering value to all stakeholders. Today, we operate six mines in Australia and Canada with a portfolio vision of up to eight assets, in Tier 1 jurisdictions, generating superior returns.
Our priority is to keep our people safe and well, provide a diverse and respectful workplace and create sustainable value for all stakeholders in an environmentally and socially responsible way. With a bold team focused on financial discipline and a high-performing culture, where values and reputation are non-negotiables, Evolution has a bright future.
Komatsu develops and supplies technologies, equipment and services for the construction, mining, forklift, industrial and forestry markets.
For more than a century, the company has been creating value for its customers through manufacturing and technology innovation, partnering with others to empower a sustainable future where people, business and the planet thrive together. Front-line industries worldwide use Komatsu solutions to develop modern infrastructure, extract fundamental minerals, maintain forests and create consumer products.
The company’s global service and distributor networks support customer operations to enhance safety and productivity while optimizing performance.
Congratulations to the 2024 Women in Mining Award Winners!
Winners of the NSW Women in Mining Awards will go on to represent NSW at the Women in Resources National Awards, hosted by the Minerals Council of Australia.
Exceptional Woman
Keryn Zambrowski – Whitehaven Coal
Keryn Zambrowski, Senior Manager Investor Relations at Whitehaven Coal, has been named the Exceptional Woman in NSW Mining for 2024.
With a wealth of domestic and international experience, Keryn has held multiple roles at Whitehaven Coal, including leading export contract negotiations and becoming the first female marketer at Whitehaven. In 2022, she transitioned into a senior role in investor relations. Keryn is committed to industry advocacy and education, and actively mentors women in finance and commercial logistics at Whitehaven.
NSW Minerals Council CEO, Stephen Galilee congratulated Keryn on being named Exceptional Woman in Mining 2024 and highlighted her achievements as another example of the world-class women in mining across the State.
“Keryn’s drive to apply her financial and investor relations experience and expertise to the mining sector is an inspiration to young women exploring their career options. Keryn’s example highlights the breadth of opportunities that exist for women in our industry.”
Exceptional Young Woman
Hannah Berthold – HER Engineering Machining & Maintenance
In 2021 Hannah started her own business, founding HER Engineering, Machining and Maintenance and has been highly active in encouraging young women to seek a career in mining by starting an apprenticeship.
Exceptional Women in Technological Innovation
Karin Soldenhoff – Australian Nuclear Science & Technology Organisation
Karin Soldenhoff from the Australian Nuclear Science & Technology Organisation (ANSTO) received the 2024 Technological Innovation Award for her work as technical lead on a project for Australia Strategic Metals (ASM), to develop novel solvent extraction technology to separate rare earth elements found at its Dubbo Project.
Exceptional Tradeswoman/Operator/Technician
Nadine Heal – Evolution Mining
The 2024 Exceptional Tradeswoman /Operator /Technician Award was awarded to Nadine Heal from Evolution Mining. Nadine is the Open Pit Supervisor at Evolution Mining’s Cowal Gold Operations (CGO) and has played a crucial role in mentoring women at CGO, significantly enhancing female participation in operational roles.
Inclusion & Diversity Champion
Damien Butler – The Bloomfield Group
Damien Butler from The Bloomfield Group was awarded the 2024 Inclusion & Diversity Champion Award for his work in fostering diversity and inclusion within the mining industry.
Excellence in Diversity Programs & Performance
Thiess
The Excellence in Diversity Programs and Performance Award was awarded to Thiess for their MASITE Program.
The program at Mount Arthur South has significantly increased workforce diversity, raising female participation from 18.5% to 23.7% and Aboriginal participation from 2.5% to 11.5%, with 92% of trainees transitioning to permanent roles.
